About the Fightback fundraiser kitemark
Progress and Southern Front are teaming up to enable parliamentary candidates and constituency parties in the south to get the vital funds they need to help return a Labour government in 2015 and make the Tories the first single-term administration in three decades.
We are asking those who are organising Labour fundraisers to donate either at least £2 per ticket, the money from a raffle or an auction prize to a seat where we have selected our candidate early or a target seat in the three southern regions: the south-east, south-west and east of England. In return, you will be awarded our ‘fightback fundraiser’ kitemark.
How does it work?
It is simple. When an MP, party group or individual is raising money they need to follow these three simple steps:
1. Choose an early selected PPC or marginal seat in the southern regions that you want to help
2. Decide whether to donate either at least £2 per ticket, the money from a raffle or an auction prize to the PPC/seat of your choice
3. Email Progress ([email protected]) or Southern Front (sking1970[at]btinternet.com) to get sent the kitemark and start promoting your event.
We will then help you advertise the event through our daily email bulletins, website and twitter.
Supporters of the ‘Fightback fundraiser kitemark’:
‘Our fightback in marginal Corby and East Northamptonshire is well underway but we need more help and resources. This is a brilliant initiative by Southern Front and Progress and it could make all the difference for Labour at the next election. Thank you to all the members and CLPs who support the fightback through a fundraiser.’
Andy Sawford, PPC for Corby and East Northamptonshire
‘Winning seats like Hastings & Rye in the South is vital to seeing another Labour government and making these the one-term Tories that they should be. Our local Labour Party work hard campaigning throughout the year, but with limited funds we find more and more energy is being spent on fundraising than where it really matters: on the doorstep. Helping marginal areas like ours goes much further than just benefiting any individual seat, because once we return a Labour government we can start delivering the change that we all need to see.’
Sarah Owen, PPC for Hastings & Rye
‘I think this is a fantastic idea and it’s so important that we all recognise we are not going to see a Labour party prime minister in No 10 unless we can win seats like Harlow – and as the Labour party it is crucial we practice what we preach – and redistribute resources to seats that struggle with people on the ground and financial recourses – initiatives like the kitemark are the difference between winning and losing in key seats – they show that we are really the party of the many not the few and that we are willing to make sacrifices to support seats that really need such help – so that we win in 2015.’
Suzy Stride, PPC for Harlow
‘In 2010 we were outgunned by the cash pouring into Ipswich from the Ashcroft millions. This initiative can help us level the playing field and ensure we have a Labour MP in Ipswich and a Labour government in 2015.’
David Ellesmere, PPC for Ipswich
‘If Labour wins Lincoln, we have a parliamentary majority – we must win seats like mine. The fightback fundraiser scheme is an effective way of ensuring support gets to where it’s needed most: the seats we must win if we are to deliver a Labour government. Thanks in advance for your support.’
Lucy Rigby, PPC for Lincoln
‘The road to Downing Street runs straight through the M1 belt which contains our key target seats, like in Milton Keynes. If we want to put our ideas into practice then winning in the south is critical to Labour’s future success. This is an excellent initiative from Progress and Southern Front. We need to rebuild our party from the grassroots up and I hope that many CLPs, Labour groups and activists will get involved in this great new scheme who support the fightback and get funds into marginal seats.’
Andrew Pakes, PPC for Milton Keynes South
‘It’s imaginative ideas like the kite mark initiative that are going to make the difference between having a Labour government or not in 2015. Marginals like Norwich South face a constant dilemma: save for the short campaign or spend now on building up our community campaigns and local presence. Fundraising is therefore crucial. The kitemark will be a major boost.’
Clive Lewis, PPC for Norwich South
‘Life’s tough in southern target seats, but Labour must win again in the south to form the next government. Our task is harder in the south because we’re surrounded by well funded Tory MPs who send help and funding into the seats we’re fighting.
Committing to Fightback Fundraisers will fund more effective campaigns in the south, and give us all a better chance of a Labour fovernment at the next election.’
Anne Snelgrove, PPC for Swindon South
‘I do hope the Fightback Fundraiser initiative inspires campaigners and supporters across the country to put aside a little money to help those local parties where we need to win in order to form the next Labour government. Here in Thurrock we are raising as much money as we can to employ an organiser to work across south Essex and show there are no ‘no-go areas’ for Labour. The only way back to power is through Essex; by donating through the fightback fundraiser you can be part of it.’
Polly Billington, PPC for Thurrock
My early selection here in Worcester really motivated members and supporters and we had a fantastic local election campaign and the best results for many years. But to sustain the momentum we need more resources, so that we can take the Tories on right across the constituency.’
Cllr Joy Squires, PPC for Worcester
‘Every radical, reforming Labour government has been the product of broad-based coalitions, with roots in every party of the country and all classes. To win in 2015, we must win in the south. As the Labour party’s regional champion for the south-east I’m determined that we do everything we can to support our campaigning in these crucial seats. Progress’ fightback fundraiser is one way all of us can do our bit to help Labour’s fightback in the south.’
Rt Hon Caroline Flint MP, shadow secretary of state for energy and climate change and the Labour party regional champion for the south-east
‘There can be no no-go areas for Labour across the UK. To be strong in parliament we have to be active in all seats. That is why this is such a great idea, giving a little extra to help those campaigns that could make the difference between Britain having a progressive Labour government or another term of the Tories. The government’s failed economic policy and a vacuum of social policy should encourage everyone to support this so Labour can again deliver for communities up and down the country.’
Rt Hon Jim Murphy MP, shadow secretary of state for defence
‘It’s lonely down south outside London if you’re a Labour MP. We lost more than three-quarters of our seats in the south-east, south-west and east of England in 2010. Seats we must win back if we’re to make sure this is a one term government. So please support this wonderful initiative by Progress to provide much needed resources where Labour most needs them.’
Rt Hon Ben Bradshaw, MP for Exeter and former secretary of state for culture, media and sport
‘I think this is a brilliant initiative. My CLP, Guildford, has donated money to key seats for several years, and we know it has made a big difference in those seats to have financial help as well as people on the doorstep. I hope more CLPs will do the same thing to help us win the seats we need in the south to have a Labour government again.
Martin Phillips, National Policy Forum representative, south-east region
‘Every single Labour party member wants to see the return of a Labour government at the next election. But to win in 2015 we need to be organising ourselves in 2012. This initiative will allow constituency Labour parties wherever they are in the country to help channel vital funds into our target seats in the south.’
Stuart King, former PPC, Putney, and editor, Southern Front
‘The local election results showed that Labour is the only truly national party – we won seats in the north, east, west and crucially, the south. This is in no small part down to the excellent work our PPCs are doing to win back parliamentary seats at the next election. We’ve already got a fantastic slate of candidates in the south out on the doorstep week-in week-out galvanising support and building the next Labour majority – we need to do everything we can to make sure they’ve got the support and resources to reward those efforts and bring home a Labour majority in 2015.’
Rt Hon Sadiq Khan MP, shadow secretary of state for justice
The Fightback Fundraiser is a fantastic opportunity to direct financial and morale support to where it’s needed most. Over the last two years we’ve made strong gains on Crawley borough council, fundraised tirelessly, and stretched every penny as far as we could. In marginals across the south-east – like Crawley – the kitemark lets local activists know that we aren’t alone.
Cllr Chris Oxlade, 2010 PPC for Crawley
Frequently asked questions about the ‘Fightback fundraiser kitemark’:
Who will the fundraiser help?
Seats we have selected early:
Thurrock, Norwich South, Waveney, Stevenage, Harlow, Hastings & Rye, Milton Keynes South, Stroud, South Swindon, Dover & Deal
Seats where selections currently under way:
Bedford, Norwich North, Chatham & Aylesford, North Swindon
Other top 100 key marginals:
East: Norwich North, Peterborough, South Basildon & East Thurrock, Great Yarmouth
South-east: Hove, Brighton Pavilion, Brighton Kemptown, Crawley, Reading West, Chatham & Aylesford, Kingswood
South-west: Plymouth Sutton & Devonport, Gloucester, North-east Somerset
Does the money go through Progress or Southern Front?
No. All of the money raised at an event is sent directly to a marginal CLP of the fundraiser’s choice.
Why are only the southern regions benefiting?
They aren’t – early selected PPCs are an important part of the scheme and they include candidates in the west Midlands, east Midlands and soon the north-east.
But we also need to recognise that the three southern regions are underrepresented by Labour MPs, and the fundraising opportunities are sparse. Our biggest gains in the 2012 local elections were areas where we have a sitting Labour MP or one nearby. By supporting PPCs in southern seats, incumbent MPs are part of the vital efforts to set Labour on the path to government.
What is the state of the party in the south?
The Labour party currently has just 10 MPs across the south of England, out of a possible 197. We lost 35 seats in the three southern regions – the south-east, the south-west and the east of England. The party needs to make considerable gains here to be back in government.
How do we know the money is going to the correct seats?
By working with both the fundraiser and the recipient, Progress and Southern Front will ensure that the money will go directly to where it’s intended.
Why shouldn’t these funds be given directly to the Labour party?
It’s crucial that the national and regional parties are well-resourced so they can do even better the work they do so well to support Labour candidates. This is not about taking money that would otherwise go to the national party; it is about trying to encourage the giving of relatively small sums that would otherwise stay in safe Labour seats to those seats we need to win back to ensure a Labour government.
Don’t southern seats have more money anyway?
Each seat has different amounts of money. They key is getting resources to marginal seats and making Labour gains at the next general election. The Fightback Fundraiser kitemark rests on the idea that our incumbent MPs are our best fundraisers. If they can help early selected candidates and seats in the south we will be nearer to returning a Labour government again.
What benefit does the fundraiser get?
Those raising funds for seats in the three regions can be sure that they are offering practical help to PPC campaigns ahead of the next election. Donating to the Fightback Fund is a chance to show commitment to winning back the south at the 2015 general election, and as such each fundraiser will be awarded the ‘Fightback Fundraiser’ kitemark. You’ll also get Progress’ help in promoting your fundraiser through our daily email and social media presence.
How do increased funds help?
Money doesn’t win elections, activists do. Our activists do incredibly hard work on the ground, even in the seats which we don’t always win. But one of the biggest obstacles to getting the Labour message out in marginals is lack of resources during election campaigns – and we can’t always compete with Tory money. The money raised through the Fightback Fundraiser scheme, which could be a couple of hundreds of pounds or more, will help us start to level the playing field.